South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1887-06-10
THEINTELLIGENCER
FRIDAY. JUNE 10. 1887.
BIG TINE IN RoMNEY
Observance of Decoration Day
Strewing tho Graves With
: Flowers-Capt. Penny.
hackers Speech

UuChct OpecCu.
Pursuant to notice BY the Ladies' Memo
rial Association, the exesciso 10 connection
with the annual decoration Of the graves Of
the Confederate Soldiers buried in Indian
Mound Cemetery, came Cd ia this place on
Monday, the 9Th instant The morning
dawned cold and rainy but. despite the
unfavorabls weather, by o'clock cur streets
presented . very lively appearance. -a1d
crowds Of people were pcariug in from all
directions, ell intent upon the performance
Of the same sacredduty Of making their year
~ pilgrimage to the tombs OF their heroic
dead, and showing TO the world that, what
ever others may think Of them, the soldiers
who wore the grey, and who fell in defence
OF southern Rigbss. are enshrined In the
hearts Of their kindred aud the citizens Of
Hampshire 40 martyrs TO cause they oeiiev.
ed to 10 right AT 10 o'clock the thronge
on Main street were Ill further increased By
the arrival Of the train bearing the South
Branch and Green Spfing Valley contin-
gents, wtich were unueually large At
few minutes to IL. the ringing Of tse Court.
House bell -auuoaacsd the beginning OF the
openiug ceremonies, and the building was
soon packed TO its utmost capacity, bat
small part Of the immense assembly however.
being able TO gain admittAnce Alter some
stirring music by the Institution baud, I'M
der the skillful leadership Of Prof. Mooney,
Hon. H. y Giikeson, on the part Of Mrs.
Vance, President of the Ladies' Memorial
Association, announced that nominations
for officers Of that society were in order On
motion, tie then present officers were re cleo.
ted unanimously. Nc. Giikeson then intro.
duced to the audience the orator Of the day,
Capt. Ep. PsSsYsAcxER. whose appear.
ance was greeted with loud aud prolonged
applause. Iapt. Penny bs cker spoke Al some
length, in q mastery style. proving beyond
a doubt that in the late uufortua ste conflict
between the States of this Uuiou, the people
of the North were the aggress,rs attempt.
ing to exercise over those of the South au.
thority which the Constitution did not give
them. and that the term "Rebei" 10 40 oppro
brious and undeserved epithetJ applied to
Southern soldiers aud sympathisers by the
Yankees from motives Of haired and m iii ce,
auG for political effect. He was frequently
in corrupted by deafening cheers. and at the
conclusion of his address, he was preseu ted
several beautiful bouquets by the ladies' in
ackI owledgment Of which no made several
very pretty little speeches, and expressed
wish that. in the hearts Of all Southern la.
dies, 1.-The memory Of the Confederate sole
dior may be cherished as fondly as will she
remembrance of these beautiful how-rs.'
The audience then lett the Courthouse
aud formed q procession longer than Maiu
street, which ma, ched to the cemetery in the
following order ist. oficers OF the Asso.
citation I'D, cnildreu-3i !, ciuzens-<th, ex :
Confeders tes.
There were NO ceremonies at the ceuietery
excep, the decoration Of the soldiers graves
and monument with wrenths OF laurel roses
and other flowers An abundance OF these
beautiful floral tributes had been provided.
and every grave was completely covered
with q lovely n..nile OF fragrant blossoms.
Poor, starved. tortured soldiers F!
Wounded AID 1ying Of thirst IN the burn
ing sands Of the plain of Mannssss, or, help
less, watching the life blood freezing as it
flowed tiom your wounds, and bound you
To the icy ground aud a cruel death at Stone
River you rest al last, IL not upon, 1T least
beneath, q bed OF roses
What the number of people in attends
upou these exercises would have been il il
had not rained 10, of course, uncertain !;
but We have every reason to think there
told that hundreds were prevented from
coming from Mineral county by the condi.
ton Of the weather early in the morning
The number from this county would, OF
course, have been much larger had the day
been fair and bright as IL WAS, it was some.
where between 500 and 1000. Yet in all
this, for Romney, immense multitude. there
was not siugle case of drunkenness or dis
orderly conduct. This SIN Tvs that our citi Z.
Gems came to tuis meeting 10 show espect to
The memery Of their honored dead, aud for
nothing else.
OUR NEXT REUNION.
The Executive Committee Of the Society
Of I 4 Con iederate Soldiers met in Litersry
Hall and decided To hold their next annual
Reunion On Tuesday aud Wednesday, An
gust Goth and 3lst, at the Roderick camp
ground, three miles east OF this place, Of
which meeting full particulars will be CIV en-
in our next issue.